BLEACHERS BREW EST. MAY 2006

Someone asked me how my blog and newspaper column came to be titled "Bleachers Brew". It's like this, it's an amalgam of sorts of two things: The bleachers area in the stadium/arena where I used to sit when I would watch baseball, football, and basketball games and Miles Davis' great jazz album Bitches Brew. That's how it got culled together. I originally planned on calling it "The View from the Big Chair" that is a nod to Tears For Fear's second album, Songs from the Big Chair. So there.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Every now and then, we like to feature exclusive commentary by our friends. Stay tuned for inboundpass's Chris Soler who will write about football.

John Flores has been a friend since his days as coach of the Ateneo Lady Eagles. Every now and then we meet up and have coffee to shoot the breeze. and yak about sports, life, and pop culture (we're both military buffs). He recently commented about the State of Philippine Football in a post alongside Ria Tanjangco's. Here is his take on the current Pacquiao-Solar controversy. Thanks for sharing this with the denizens of the Bleachers, Coach!

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What's In A Name?by John Flores

Boxing is probably the toughest job in the world. No matter how successful or big a failure the boxer is, that fighter still submits his body to the most punishing activities before and during the fight. These days, the toughest job in the world is starting to look like the oldest profession.

You know you are a whore when you have the habit of signing another contract despite a promise to honor an existing one. Oh, honor, he likes to talk about that. "I am fighting for the honor of the Filipino people." or " for the honor of the country..."

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be the first crab to pull you down, I am not, I understand that your body can only take so much pounding and you are investing for your future. I have no right to criticize you for you decisions lately. It is your body and you use it the way you want it. Just like that lady of the night who would suck whatever you want sucked for the right price.

If you can't honor a simple contract, how do you expect us to believe that you can keep your promises when you win a congressional seat. You deal in the shadows, behind your partners back, to get what you want. Reminds me of all the pacmans in the government who gobble up everything in their path. Traditional politician....AND YOU HAVEN'T EVEN WON YET!!! Once again, I don't blame you, it is not your fault. You get great advice from a snitch, a grandstander and all the other clowns in your circus.

You went back to school, received a doctorate degree, honorable that is, there goes that word again, honor. Despite your return to school, political science right? You still did not learn anything. Not your fault, you need an education to run for office, that is if you really learned anything at all.

Now don't get me wrong, I admire the sacrifice that you made to get where you are, like I said, the experience of training for a fight is guaranteed physical punishment and mental torture. You are courageous, I give you that.

You have to win because you inspire a nation thirsty for something to be proud of. You are this nation's shining beacon, a people's icon for hope...that is why you have to win. I want you to win.

What is in a name? There is Gabriel "Flash" Elorde, who ironically does not display any flash or flamboyance. What I know and what I heard about the Flash is his humility, sincerity and love for his people, and the people loved him back.

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Who am I?

What I do for a living?

I also write regularly for Business Mirror; philstar.com; abs-cbnnews.com, and rappler.com.

I am also currently the media officer for the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup, the National Basketball Training Center, and the Flying V Davao Thunders.

I do PR consultancy for a variety of clients that I do not want to divulge.

I used to teach journalism at the Ateneo de Manila University hand have given lectures about journalism, new media, marketing, and public relations at the Ateneo, UP Diliman, UST, San Beda, Immaculate Conception Academy, Miriam College, Mindanao State University, FIFA seminars, and a few other schools and organizations.

I used to write for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippines Free Press, and Maxim Philippines. I have also contributed to FHM, Men's Health, Tower Sports NBA, Rebound, and a few other sports, interior design, and lifestyle magazines as well. Most recently, I was the editor-in-chief of PBA Life, the Official Lifestyle Magazine of the Philippine Basketball Association as well as Season 40 edition of Hardcourt, the season-in-review.

My blog, Bleachers' Brew, serves as a hub for many of my writings (but not all as there are some that are exclusive).

When I have free time, I listen to my collection of over 5,000 CDs, read, watch DVDs, or walk my dog around the subdivision.

Liverpool FC

My all-time favorite football team. I bleed Liverpool Red.

Books in my collection: Four Four Two with an excellent feature on Jurgen Klopp!